Hillsborough Balloon Festival and Fair


In the early 1970's, the Hillsborough Fire Department organized the Firemen's Weekend featuring a carnival midway, a hometown parade with fire apparatus from across the state of New Hampshire, a fireman's muster and a fireworks display.

In the late 1980's, the Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce and Hillsborough Lions Club organized the first Hillsborough Balloon Festival & Fair. Like Firemen's Weekend, the goal was to provide inexpensive summer entertainment, promote community spirit and provide income for both organizations. The Balloon Festival featured an arts & craft fair, balloon flights, and musical performers.

In 1994, Firemen's Weekend and the Balloon Festival & Fair merged to form the Hillsborough Balloon Festival. Each year, attendance has increased substantially with more than 30,000 people attending over the 4 days of operation.

In addition to the original events and entertainment, each year new attractions are added. New in 2008, an old fashioned Fireman's Muster on Sunday afternoon, July 13. The Festival also features some of the best regional performing artists, including Hillsborough's own Country and Western vocalist, Angela West, with her group "Showdown". Other events added over time continue to be popular including 4x4 truck and tractor pulls, a Mud Bog pull and a 5K road race. Recently, an Artist's Fair has been established during Balloon Festival weekend, sponsored by the Hillsborough Area Artisans. The Hometown Parade on Sunday has grown to include many civic groups with marching bands, floats, military personnel and a wide assortment of fire apparatus from all over New Hampshire.

And don't forget the Hot Air Balloons piloted and crewed by regional balloon enthusiasts. Balloon flights over New Hampshire's beautiful Monadnock Region are available to the general public along with tethered flights for the more cautious.

Our Saturday night fireworks extravaganza is one of the premier fireworks displays in all of New Hampshire.


The Hillsborough Balloon Festival and Fair is now sponsored by the Hillsborough Civic Organization, comprised of the three original local groups, the Hillsborough Fire Department, Hillsborough Lions Club, and the Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce.

Proceeds generated from the Balloon Festival provide major financial support for these organizations. In addition, most local businesses, churches and civic groups prosper during the week leading up to the event as well as during the weekend. When more than 30,000 people come to a town the size of Hillsborough, their presence is a major economic impact and residents of Hillsborough, the surrounding communities, and across New England have a weekend full of fun for the whole family.

So, bring the family, stay the weekend in one of our local charming Bed and Breakfast Inns, enjoy Hillsborough's small town atmosphere, explore our antique shops and ancient stone bridges, visit our unique open-air Mack truck museum and perhaps even attend a country auction in a 17th century barn. Sample home made breads, an old-fashioned ice cream parlor and a variety of local dining establishments.

Hillsborough's Grimes Field is located
midway between Concord and Keene, NH
on Routes NH 9/US 202.

Detailed Directions Here

Balloon Festival Layout Map

Come for the weekend and explore
Hillsborough's many small town attractions.

Parking Donation $5.00 per Car

Balloon Festival Admission is Free!
(A nominal admission fee is charged for some events)

No animals or pets allowed on field except working service dogs

All photos courtesy of
Karen Booth Photography

Website by Lakeside Design
Website by On-Line Marketing
Hillsborough, NH © All rights reserved
091706 - 1152 visits (4 today, 8 this week)   Updated Monday, 19-May-2008 21:29:43 EDT